End of Summer Chaos!

I don't know where to begin.  This summer has flown by, as it usually does every year, but this year has been busier than ever.  I haven't had as much time at my Happy Place :(  So that is my major bummer, I crave the peace and serenity.... The kids have actual schedules now.  Seriously, my oldest had babysitting jobs to get to, Cheerleading practice throughout the summer, Dentist appointments, what on earth???  Mom's taxi was busy this summer, and not in the way I wanted, geez!  The dentist appointments were my mistake, and I won't schedule such things during future summer vacation time, but having my iphone alert go off that something is scheduled on a day, just is not my idea of summer vacation.  I am a teeny, tiny bit eager for the kids to return to school now.  My son is very excited to return, the girls, well.... a little quieter in the excitement department...

I look forward to my creative juices being allowed to flow and craft ahead.  My 'studio' area is a complete disaster.  I have been stashing things in there throughout the summer, with anticipation that I will return and do something with it all.  That time is soon upon me, and I can't wait.  I have so many ideas in my head, and I have made many notes and sketches.  Pinterest is quite an addiction for me now, I started off slowly and now I waste  so much time dream about so many many things.  One thing I pinned many months ago was a rock collecting piece, that you make into feet.  Ok, I explained that poorly so let me show you what I/we, as in my family, collected and created;

The rocks were collected from Lake Superior on a couple of our boating excursions, so they are, for the most part smooth, the wood board is from an old pallet that was behind our shed.  It's one of the good ones with heavy oak boards.  Perfect for such a craft.  I sanded the board down, and with construction grade adhesive, glued the stones to the board.  One foot for each of us.  Just a cute memory from this summer.  I still haven't made or created very much this summer.  We have had some good times at camp, the lake is cooling off, but with our sauna fired up it makes it bearable, our pet chipmunk at camp is becoming even more friendly and not shy at all, he follows me around, hoping for a hand out of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or peanuts.  Apple slices or dog food will do as well.  T-Bone was having a snooze when the chipper lounged out in his food dish.  Poor T just wants to play and chipper wants nothing to do with him, lol, I know one day he will be on my heels as I go into the sauna too....And, summer just wouldn't be complete without an injured child in my house.  Honestly, my oldest just has some bad luck.  She is very active and I guess that's the problem.  When she tries something new she repeats it and repeats it until she gets it.  She can now do a back walk over, but, not for a little while, as her right arm is in a cast due to a broken wrist.  (opposite hand in which she broke her thumb 3 times) She is already planning, once healed of course, that she wants to learn to do back hand springs.  Geez, heal first child, before planning your next injury, please..... Good times, good times.

Family arrived from out West so we have this week to do some catching up, dinners, laughs, and reminising.  We all gathered today to lay to rest, the ashes of my hubby's 2 brothers that passed away last fall and this spring.  Seven siblings became five in such a short period of time, truly sad, but they are not forgotten, memories last a long time. 

I tested my baking skills this evening and surprise, I still remember how, muffins are made and the cookie jar is full.  Ok, yes, I have baked this summer, actually made some pretty yummy treats, but the cookie and muffin thing is a must during the school year, so it was a warm up of how the school year must continue.  The dreaded lunch making starts next week, my kids start school on the 5th, so I have those three days to ease myself back into things.  The real chaos actually begins the following week.  Sports will start, practices, birthday parties, homework, sign here, sign this, I need this, we forgot to buy me that, fundraisers, alarm clocks, running to the bus on time...blaaahh!  Fun times, fun times.  I will return soon with an update on the chaos of my family and hopefully some progress in the my craft, DIY, baking, sewing, painting obsessions.  Only three more appointments this week, two dinners, and camp day with our good friends.  Happy end of August to everyone, hope the fall starts off well for you all.

 

Canada Day and beyond

  Well, what a great time at my Happy Place, school is over for the summer, and we have had some most excellent weather.  I must add, my kids have yet to say "I'm bored"!!  Yay......so far anyway.  Swimming has been number one on our list as our temperatures have been a bit on the high side for us.  Today is supposed to be a scorcher yet again, so being in the water will be a must.  I popped home for a quick stop to do some laundry, replenish a few things, including water to keep us hydrated, and have a quick visit with my parents that came into town to switch up their vehicles, from rental to their own.
   I didn't have time to prep for our Canada Day at home this year, June is always chaotic, but I found this year even more so, I got my house cleaned and my chores done, including all things ready to go to our Happy Place on the Lake, but neglected to decorate for one of our favourite holidays :(  I cheated and hung a Canada Day shopping bag on our front door, weighted done with a few rocks, which intrigued the kids to ask, "what's in the bag, Mom", but that is all I did.  We weren't home at all, so I didn't feel too bad.   My camera is at camp, but just wanted to show you a few of my favourite things of this week past.  Swimming, BBQ, iced tea, swimming, relaxing, sauna, smores, perked camp coffee, friends.

this Canada Day Mantle is wonderful, and makes me wish I had done a little more to my home, but alas, I can just admire it from the picture and hope I can do more next year.  A little inspiration for me, a favourite blog of mine Crow's Feet Chic

 

another favourite thing of mine, is Peek Frean Digestive cookies, with chocolate on one side of each biscuit.  We use these to make smores.  The chocolate melts perfectly and the digestive cookie is delicious.

small individual bags of Doritos are another fave of ours.  We make individual taco salads and eat right out of the bags.  Everyone adds their own fixings and they are yummy.

one of my most favourite pictures of all time, I am terrible with where I find things online, but she is on etsy somewhere and makes fantastic stamped silver pieces.  If I can track her down I will post later, I promise.

this little pic is also a fave of mine, and a plan for myself and my kids to make today.  I found it on Pinterest.  We have tons of rocks to collect and create these little feet on an old board.  Love it. Love it. Love it.  This is where I will end my post and carry on to my Happy Place.  Have a fantabulous summer, and I will post soon with a few of my very own pics.

Chat soon,

Really? Another yukky day outside....

Well the weather is the pits, yet again.  Our snow is gone and the temperature is up, which is a good thing, but now we are back to pouring rain.  I hate to complain about that really, as we need our water levels to rise and it only helps prevent forest fires and makes thing grow, but it brings me down.  I do get things done indoors which makes me smile.

This is how I started my morning.  I love Alstromeria flowers they last a long time, and aren't very expensive either, and, who doesn't like tulips in the spring.  I needed the bright yellow colours to perk me up, oh and my coffee too of course :)
So as the rain comes down outside I found myself in my "studio" heehee (that still cracks me up) with my coffee working on a couple of things.

First item up for a make over is these plastics drinking cups.  Maybe you also have one or two on hand, well we have more than a couple...Promotional give aways from businesses.  Well I don't really care for all the businesses, but I'm not going to turn down a freebie either.  So with a little tape, acrylic paint, stamps and clear varnish, voila new customized drink cups.  My kids loved my "simple things" cup and wanted one too, so I painted their favourite colours in a stripe over top of the business name and have stamped their names and a cute symbol on them and they have their very own cup.  Make sure to use small pieces of tape as you tape around the cup, due to the roundness and taperedness ? you must work in small bits.

Second item of the day are these mini chalkboards, aren't they cute?  I painted some of the frames, used little stamps with a white stamp pad to look like chalk, and embellished them.  Use as a Christmas ornament, decoration around the home, gift tags, or glue a magnet to the back and you have a fridge magnet.  So many possibilities....Anyway,that's what I did this morning, and now here I sit in a hotel after serving pizza at school and being surprised with a totally spur of the moment trip to Minnesota with my hubby and son.  I received a text from him while I was at my kids school handing out pizza to the kids.  OK, why would I turn down a trip where I know I can find some most awesome vintage "junk/antiquey" treasures on our way to the boat town, where ever that is?  As much as I am excited for hubby, I am really more excited for my possible purchases.  My girls are hangin with their aunt for a couple of days, they made the choice to remain home and go to cooking class and school on Thursday (Friday they don't have school, PA day) Unfortunately with packing so quickly I did find that on our arrival at the hotel, I packed the wrong swim suit :(  Ya the bottoms have been over chlorinated, have you ever had that happen, that stretchy sheer appearance, ready for the trash!  It got it's last use in a pool this eve, that's for sure, good bye to them.  I also forgot a hairbrush, my long thick hair really does need a brush, yeesh, but I made do and used my straightener and fingers and braided my mop to hide that fact that I have no brush.  Jeez now I have to make a trip to Target, oh poor me, lol...
Will update on how the trip went on my return home on Friday, see you soon.

Time Flies

Well yesterday flew by and I don't even remember what I did.  Besides taxi driving children all around, truly the day passed and I didn't have much to show for it.  My house was cleaned and three loads of laundry done and hung on the clothes line, but nothing was created, made, or baked....Yikes!

I will show you a couple of my ideas, that my talented husband made for me.  I design it and he builds it, hahaha.  I ponder quite a bit on my ideas until I believe I've got the design down and then I give my husband, oh.....about a day to make it, sounds fair right?!  He does do good work, even with short notice.

So the shelf/ledge is the newest homemade item.  I have thought for a few years about what to do with the wall above my sofa.  I've never been happy with just a picture there, and have tossed ideas around for ever....So here is my idea.  Very inexpensive, rustic style, distressed (although it's hard to see)  I did hit it with a screw driver and hammer for a few dents, I poked it with a nail several times to appear like worm holes and lastly I stained it and waxed it, I'm not a lover of shiny wood.  I prefer a worn/distressed look.

I can change my decor on the shelf to go with the seasons or my mood, what ever strikes first.  I distressed the "H", and acquired the rest of the items, and made the "nest" canvas.  I took old pages from a dictionary (when I say old, I do mean old, I got the dictionary from the Salvation Army, it had been written in, torn pages out of etc...)then I took a canvas bought from Dollarama, and cut the pages, modge podged them at different angles for layers, and printed up the "nest" description that I found some time ago and loved.  Then further distressing with stain and a coat of polyurethane to seal....voila!

Oh I've been playing around on Picasa with my pics so that's why the colouring is different, just having fun is all, heehee.  OK on to creating some thing newish today, chat soon.